Have you had a family complain about you no matter what you did or try?

[MsBlissful]

I am banging my head against the wall today. All I can say is thank god I have an uncanny ability to sense complainers before they even have a chance.

I am a hospice RN. See patients and families of all kinds, no two days are alike! ( one of the fun aspects of my job, you can't get board, not really. )

I recently had a patient who was on service for end stage dementia. She was very advanced and declining on almost a daily basis. Her stay with us was very short, approximately 2 weeks.

The patient was always somewhat comfortable after initial titration of meds etc. Her family was the problem. There was only a daughter and her spouse involved. ( 2 family members!! ) I literally saw this patient every day I was working and spoke to the family in person or on the phone every single visit. I even met with them one weekend I was on call for a 2 hour meeting.

They complained to me about the SNF, the staff there even my own colleges. LOTS of complaints, some appeared very valid. I always supported them, answered the same questions over and over and after about the 2 or 3rd meeting it dawned on me something wasn't right. I even notified my manager and said, they are complaining about everything and 80% of its bs.

I documented everything.. including their multiple concerns, complaints, issues, coping problems and apparent issues with guilt. I documented plans for next visit, including bringing a handbook that is specific to hospice patients. I had a feeling something wasn't right here.

Short of the long, the patient expired before my next planned visit, and that booklet I mentioned never got delivered for obvious reasons.

Today, I got a call from my office. This daughter and her spouse did nothing but somplain about me. They told my supervisor I didn't talk to them, they were promised a book days ago and never got one, and the worst? They lied about not knowing a treatment was done. I have proof the family was present and approved the treatment. Thank goodness my SNF nurse was on top of this and said "yes, she was right here..".

COmplaints like this are often ground for termination. I easily could be written up for the multitude of complaints from a family that had obvious mental anguish and maybe pysch issues. Really.. I am so glad I hyper documented and alerted my superior early on.

BUT NURSES SHOULDN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT CRAPOLA LIKE THIS.

[brandy1017, ASN, RN]

I work nocs which limits some of the family interaction. I have had a few patients/families over the many years not want me as a nurse, usually it was a relief. Usually were known as complainers and had barred other staff as well. Now with this customer service push, I do worry about getting written up over a patient or family not liking me. I find myself walking on egg shells and I've always been one to answer my patients call lights quickly, do whatever they want or need, reposition, bathroom, food or drink, or extra blanket etc. I usually did it myself as to wait for a CNA would take too much time and energy, unless the patient needed two people to get up or reposition.

The PM CNA's are very appreciative of me because most of the nurses apparently don't help them but I'm used to doing this on the night because we have less staff and I don't want anyone to get hurt (back) etc. But the noc CNA's are not appreciative, some of them have an attitude and seem to want to do the least possible.

Funny thing is the agency PCA's we get on nocs actually can be easier to work with because I've found them to be hardworking and go-getters and are friendly and pleasant. Many of them are a joy to work with and when I see their names written for that night I relax and cheer up.

Don't get me wrong, I don't dislike my regular noc CNA staff personally. They can be very nice and I try to be on friendly terms with them and everyone. I know their job is hard and worse low-paying, but still it is not my fault they chose this line of work!

I just wish they would realize how hard the nurses work and that we have more to do than just answer lights, clean and change and reposition patients. We have all our nursing duties as well ie assessments, charting, orders, keeping them safe and stable, updating the doctor, etc.

They seem to have no clue all that we do and how busy we are! While they have no real responsibility so its easy for them to take a break or a lunch, not so easy for us, even on the night shift! Granted I make sure I get a lunch break if I can help it, but I don't have time to take all the breaks we are supposed to have on a 12-hr shift. It's annoying to see them running off on all these breaks and then you ask them to do something they make excuses or flat out refuse!

[NonieJuice]

I think that it's sad that patients family members who clearly do not have all the nuts and bolts can potentially screw up a nurses career.